Poinsettia plant named ‘NPCW14233’

ABSTRACT

A new poinsettia plant particularly distinguished by having greenish to apricot colored bracts with dense reddish spots and stripes, medium vigor, and an upright habit, is disclosed.

Genus and species: Euphorbia pulcherrima.

Variety denomination: ‘NPCW 14233’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety ofpoinsettia, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima and hereinafterreferred to by the variety name ‘NPCW14233’. ‘NPCW14233’ is a selectionfrom a branch mutation from the poinsettia variety ‘NPCW10158’ (U.S.Plant Pat. No. 22,580).

In November/December of 2008 a branch mutation was discovered on thepoinsettia variety ‘NPCW10158’ in Nairobi, Kenya. Vegetative cuttings ofthe branch mutation were taken and propagated. In October of 2009, asingle plant was selected in Stuttgart, Germany. In May of 2010,‘NPCW14233’ was first asexually propagated by apical vegetativecuttings. ‘NPCW14233’ was found to reproduce true to type in successivegenerations of asexual propagation via apical vegetative cuttings inStuttgart, Germany.

SUMMARY

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of this new variety when grown under normalhorticultural practices in Stuttgart, Germany.

-   -   1. Greenish to apricot colored bracts with dense reddish spots        and stripes;    -   2. Medium vigor; and    -   3. An upright habit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

This new poinsettia plant is illustrated by the accompanying photograph,which shows an overall view of the plant. The photograph is of a plantapproximately four-months-old grown indoors in Stuttgart, Germany inOctober 2013. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtainedby conventional photographic procedures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘NPCW14233’. The data which define thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out inStuttgart, Germany. Data was collected on plants 19 weeks after pottingin a greenhouse in Stuttgart, Germany in the fall of 2014. Colorreferences are to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal HorticulturalSociety of London (R.H.S.), 5^(th) edition (2007).

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Euphorbiaceae.        -   Species.—Euphorbia pulcherrima.        -   Common name.—Poinsettia.        -   Variety.—‘NPCW 14233’.-   Parentage: Branch mutation from the poinsettia variety    ‘NPCW10158’(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,580).-   Growth:    -   -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—4 weeks.        -   Blooming habit.—Intermittent.        -   Flowering response time.—Approximately 57 days.        -   Keeping quality.—Good.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form.—Triangular.        -   Growth habit.—Upright.        -   Height.—25.0 cm to 28.0 cm.        -   Width.—23.0 cm to 28.0 cm.        -   Number of branches.—6.5.        -   Average number of inflorescences per plant.—6.5.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cuttings.—Apical cuttings.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—4 weeks.-   Stems:    -   -   Color.—RHS 143C.        -   Length.—23.0 cm to 25.0 cm.        -   Internode length.—1.0 cm to 2.5 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.5 cm to 0.8 cm.-   Leaves:    -   -   Quantity.—5 to 7 per lateral branch.        -   Arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Obtuse.        -   Margin.—Serrate.        -   Lobes.—Lobation characteristics: Shallow to moderate.            Texture (both surfaces): Smooth. Vein color: Upper surface:            Transparent. Lower surface: RHS 139D.        -   Variegation.—Absent.        -   Size.—Length: 8.0 cm to 13.0 cm. Width: 5.0 cm to 8.0 cm.        -   Color.—Mature foliage: Upper surface: RHS 139A. Lower            surface: RHS N138B. Immature foliage: Upper surface: RHS            141A. Lower surface: RHS 139B.        -   Leaf petiole.—Length: 3.0 cm to 5.0 cm. Diameter: 0.2 cm to            0.3 cm. Color: Upper surface: RHS 139D with dense spots and            stripes (reddish). Lower surface: RHS 139D with only shallow            spots and stripes (reddish).-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Lastingness of inflorescence on the plant.—3 to 4 weeks.        -   Diameter.—20.0 cm to 23.0 cm.        -   Height.—2.0 cm to 3.0 cm.        -   Fragrance.—Absent.-   Bracts:    -   -   Number of bracts per inflorescence.—10 to 11.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Obtuse.        -   Margin.—Mostly entire.        -   Size.—Length: 5.0 cm to 10.0 cm. Width: 3.0 cm to 8.0 cm.        -   Texture.—Upper and lower surfaces: Smooth.        -   Vein color.—Upper surface: RHS 144B. Lower surface: RHS            144D.        -   Bract color.—Upper surface: Greenish to apricot (basic            color) RHS 11D with very dense spots in reddish between RHS            53B and RHS 46A (less intensive on older bracts/more            intensive on small, young bracts in the center of the            inflorescence). Lower surface: The same as upper surface.        -   Bract petiole.—Length: 0.5 cm to 2.0 cm. Diameter: 0.2 cm to            0.3 cm. Color: Upper surface: RHS 144D. Lower surface: RHS            144D with shallow spots and stripes (reddish).-   Cyme:    -   -   Diameter.—1.0 cm to 1.5 cm.        -   Cyathia number.—4 to 6 per inflorescence.        -   Cyathium.—Shape: Ovate. Diameter: 0.2 cm to 0.4 cm. Length:            0.3 cm to 0.6 cm. Color: RHS 142B.        -   Peduncle.—Color: RHS 142B. Length: 0.2 cm.        -   Nectar cups.—Number: 1 per cyathium. Diameter: 0.1 cm. Size:            0.3 cm to 0.4 cm. Color: RHS 1C.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Stamens.—Quantity: 5 to 10 per cyathium. Shape: Ovate.        -   Filament.—Length: 0.25 cm. Color: RHS 47C.        -   Pollen.—Quantity: Sparse. Color: RHS 11B.-   Disease and insect/pest resistance: Nothing observed.-   Fruit and seed set: No fruit or seed set have been observed.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL LINE AND KNOWN VARIETY

‘NPCW 14233’ is distinguished from its parents as described in Table 1:

TABLE 1 Comparison with Parental Line Variety Mutation parent Trait‘NPCW14233’ ‘NPCW10158’ Bract Color Greenish to apricot colored Mediumred bracts bracts with dense reddish spots and stripes

‘NPCW 14233’ is most similar to the commercial poinsettia plant named‘Monet Early Red’ (unpatented in the U.S.). Differences between the twovarieties are described in Table 2:

TABLE 2 Comparison with Similar Variety Variety Commercial line Trait‘NPCW14233’ ‘Monet Early Red’ Vigor Medium vigor Lower vigor EarlinessLater than ‘Monet Early Red’ Earlier than ‘NPCW14233’

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of poinsettia plant named ‘NPCW14233’ as illustrated and described herein.